Arch supporter



May 10,1927. 1 1,628,161

- o. J. LEBOEUF ARCH SUPPCRTER Filed March 1926 JLeBQGu Chow? Patented May 10, 1927.

UNITED STATES OSCAR J. LE BOEUF, OF GARY, INDIANA.

ARCH. SUPPORTER.

Application filed March 13, 1926. Serial No. 94,502.

This invention relates to devices for treating deformations of the feet and particularly to devices for preventing or remedying broken arches.

The general object of my invention isto provide a device of this character which, when applied within the shoe, will act to hold upthe astragalus without, however, touching the navicular or scaphoid and which will not touch the metatarsal bones and which will hold the tuberosity of the os calcis and prevent this tuberosity from pushing the shoe over to the. outside.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will. also support the os calcis and cuboid hone thus throwing the weight on the metatarsal bones and particularly throwing the weight upon the joints of the phalanges, thus giving the correct balance to the body.

My device is illustrated in the accompany ing drawings wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device applied to a foot;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view port;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on ure 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Figure 3.

Referring to these drawings it will be seen that my device comprises essentially the metal plate designated 10, which is approximately elliptical in form with one end truncated, this forward'end 11 being disposed in a slightly higher plane than the rear portion of the plate 10, which rear portion is adapted to fit beneath the heel of the foot. The device shown is intended to be used on the left foot and, therefore, the inner edge of the forward portion 11 of the plate is bent to form an upwardly extending flange 12. The forward end 13 of this flange extends upward and outward while the rear end of the flange extends upward and inward slightly so that there is a gradual curve between the rear end and the forward portion of the flange.

Attached to the plate 10 over the forward end thereof by rivets or any other suitable means, is a curved metal plate 14. The left hand side of this plate is wider than the right hand side (this description now applyof the arch supthe line l- 1 of Figiug to the device for use on the left foot) and the left end of this plate 14 is curved upward as at 15. The forward and rear corners of this u1. wardly curved portion 15 are rounded off as at 16 and the portion 15 extends laterally and rearwardly at a slight angle. From a point slightly outward of the medial axis of the plate 10, the plate 14, which as before remarked, is riveted to the plate 10, extends upward, outward and rear ward in a curve to form the prolongation 17, which is considerably higherthan the upwardly curved portion 15 on the other side and this portion 17 is reduced in width as it extends upward and also extends rearward.

As will be seen from Figure 2 the rear edge of the plate let is so formed that the left hand end of the plate curves rearward and laterally and upwardly from a point to one side of the medial axis of the plate while the right hand portion of the plate extends laterally, rearwardly, and upwardly to form the portion 17. This portion 17 is supported upon the flange 12. The plate 14 as will be seen from Figure 3 is transversely curved that is, upwardly bowed from its forward edge to its rearedge. It is to be understood that the support is to be padded around the heel plate 10, as illustrated in Figure 3, the padding being designated 18 and that the transversely curved supporting plate will also be padded so as to avoid any metal touching the foot.

When the support is disposed within a shoe it will lie directly under the astragalus A and follow it back, preventing the astragalus A from falling. This platev passes under the foot to the outside thereof and the part 15 of the plate 14: rests lightly against the cuboid bone and extends upward and backward and bears lightly against the outside of the 0s calcis or heel, or in other words forms a part resisting any movement of the heel toward the outside and bearing against the tuberosity of the os calcis.

This support will hold the astragalus up in its place and will give strength to the metatarsals and the phalanges. It will throw the weight of the body on the joints of the metatarsals and phalanges, giving full use of the great toe. This support will hold up the astragalus and keep the 0s calcis and cuboid bones from spreading, holding these bones in their proper places and causing the astragalus to properly articulate with the navicular and cuboidgbones, thus giving the proper inclination to the cuniform bones and metatarsals, thus forcing the use of the great toe.

This support will hold up the os calcis and the astragalus, the astragalus being the main bone of the foot in that it takes the weight of the body from the tibia. My support does not allow the astragalus to separate from the tibia and thus tends to prevent leg and knee pains. This support rests against the tuberosity on the outside of the os calcis, preveliting the bones of the foot from shifting laterally, thereby holding the os caleis and astragalus as in a vise. Thus the foot is prevented from pushing the shoe out of shape.

It will be noted that this astra-gali'is brace does not touch upon the scaphoid nor the navicular bones and it gives a pressure upon the cuboid bone which helps it to properly articulate with the corresponding metatarsal.

I claim 1. An arch support of the character described consisting of a heel plate having a forward portion adapted to extend beneath the instep of the foot, and having attached to its forward end a transversely curved member extending upward and outward on each end, the inner end of the curved memher being higher than the outer end thereof, the curved member being thereby adapted to extend beneath the astragalus and at its inner end extend upward and rearward 0pposite the astragalus, the heel plate being so formed as to cause said curved plate to be disposed beneath the ankle bone.

2. An arch support of the character described eomprising a heel plate having its forward portion elevated to fit over the instep portion of the shoe sole, the inner edge of this elevated portion having an upwardly extending flange and a curved plate attached to the upper face of the forward portion of said heel plate, the outside edge of this plate extending upward and outward. in a curve beginning approximately at the edge of the heel plate, the opposite portion of the curved plate extending upward from a line exterior to the medial line of the heel plate to a point considerably above the lQl'" mination of the first named curved portion, said last named upwardly extending portion of the curved plate being upwardly bowed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the heel plate, the first named curved end portion of the curved plate being rearward of the rear edge of the last named upwardly extending portion.

3. An arch support of the character described consisting of a. heel plate having a forward portion adapted to extend beneath the instep of the foot, and having attached to its forward portion a. transversely curved member extending upward and outward at each end, one end of the curved member being higher than the outer end thereof, the inner end of the curved member extending upward, outward and rearward.

4.. An arch support of the character described consisting of a heel plate having a forward port-ion adapted to extend beneath the instep of the foot, and having attached to its forward portion a transversely curved member extending upward and outward at each end, the inner end of the curved member being higher than the outer end thereof, and the inner end of the curved member extending upward, outward and rearward.

5. An arch support of the character described consisting of a heel plate having a forward portion adapted to extend beneath the instep of the foot, and having attached to its forward portion a transversely curved member extending upward and outward at each end, both ends of the curved member extending upward, outward and rearward, but the inner end of the curved member being higher than the outer end thereof and extending rearward to a greater distance.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atlix my signature.

OSCAR J; LE BOEUF. 

